Pilot-controlled potato peeler



Sept. 12, 1950 T. F. MASON PILOT-CONTROLLED POTATO PEELER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed D80. 8, 1947 INVENTOR. Ykoms FMasolv BY X ATTORNEY Sept. 12, 1950 T. F. MASON PILOT-CONTROLLED POTATO PEELER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 8, 1947 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY THOMAS FMSON W Patented Sept. 12 1950 The present invention relatestQlIIlDIOVGIIIEIltS.

ima -potato peeler and .isa further development oi -my potato slicerdescribed my application Serial Number 732,058, filed-*May. 3; 194 'I, -now.

Patent 2,489,581; and of lmy "potato: cutteride 5 scribed inmy application Serial Number 780513,

file'cl on October 17,1947, nowabandoned: l 1

"Insthe former applicationit was 'proposed to provide-a machine for slicing a vpotato:or similar vegetable or fruit into a continuous spirall'oi uni' form thickness.

In the second'application it was proposed to? add-a series of transverse cutters-whereby the continuous spiral emanating from the first-ma chine would again be cutcylindrically to several difierent-diameters to provide a series of StripSl of uniform dimensions resembling-what :is known a in the market as shoestring potatoes. I

-In the present inventionit is contemplated to adda further feature to the machin'e whereby the potato is automatically peeled prior'to-the,

cutting actionof the first two im/"entions:- While theinvention is here-'described-as part of a ma chineip'erforming allthree of the aforesaid functions, it should be understood that the presentinvention'may be used by itself in an -independent apparatus if the other functions are not de sired;

It has already been proposed' to'prov'ide' a potatopeeler in which the potato is advanced in aspiral'movement and in which a' peeling; blade p is made to bear upon the side of the potato so as itoremove the skin therefrom in a -thincontinuous'slice; 7

It. has; further been "proposed to provide a maor even concave sections onsthe surface. thereofpresenting: overhangs and undercuts which latter arefdifficult to reach for the blade when the gauge rides ,onthe -overhang.- This would cause the blade to miss certain sectionsadjacent an over hang in the normal operation of the machine.-

In order to cause the blade-to reachsuch sec tions,; -it is proposed in the present invention to provide a pilot member in advanceazof ?the gauge, th evpilot member being made to move when rid-.

ing on an overhang thus encounteredxand being connectedto the blade iHfSllCh a manner as-toi cause the lfitter toplunge forward, so' as to reach 1 Di ATEL PI LQ-li -QQNTROLLED PQTAT0'PEEIJER- s menesscam-11::

"ec'e'nilier 851947, Si'ialNof790 329"" laimslj T (on. 146242) section, of aimodified formof cutter head invention. a

blade "so as to 0 in M2 the: section underneath *the overhang or remov ingthepeeltherefroma It is further-proposed to provide two-different waysin which the pilot member is-made 'to-"'actu ate the-blade; n'e being mechanical-and:the othe electricaln i Further objects and advantage mv-"inven-- tion will appearas the "sp'ec-i=fication proceeds, and the novel: features of -my inventiom will be fully defined in 'the claims attached hereto. The preferred tems of my -i nven-tion are illus-'*- trated' in the accompaiming-drawing; i-nw-li-ich r Figure'l shows a plan-vievv of Hiy peeLing'ma chine in' combination withth slicing' and cutting'features of the previous applibations, =Figure 2, an enlarged plan-'view of el -cutting 1 head used in my machine; with attendant parts,

Figure 3, a side view of the cutter hadl looking' atit from 'the' axis of rot'atioii' 'of the inachin Figure 4, an end' vi'ew -ofthe cutter head} Figure 5, an enlarged detail view, in vertical:

: Figure 6, a sectional detail v-iewt'ake' line 6--6.ofFigure:5;and- Figure 7, a wiring diagram for the-modified formof cutt'erhead. -While I have. shown only the :prefe'rrewforms a ew ' ofrtmy invention; Iwishto-have it understood that various changes and modifications-may be' made within the scope of the claims attachedhereto. without departingiromythespiri of he -Referring-;to":-the drawings in detail; nd par-: ticularly-to': the form illustrated "in Figures 1 cc; 4,:my invention, as disclosed-in: the previousapplications, comprises in its principal features a base 1, having a column 2 'rising therefromf near" one end thereof, a horizontal bearing 3 supported' by the columnja threaded shaft '4 slidable in the bearing, a, releasable member 5 engagab" in the thread for advancing the shaft when'thii latter is rotated by:fmea'.ns of the l 'and wheel B,

a gripping member 1 at the inner emi of'- the-' shaft for holding a one fend r a potato' indicatedf at L-B; .a centering-*pini 9 mounted-"opposite the? gripping member in alinement witli th haft' and adapted to receive the rree erid of the p6- tato thereon; 'averticalblade Ill having a rverti cal cuttingedge in the verticalplane of the cen tering' pin and undern'eaththe same for spirally" slicing the 'potato as it is advanced by "the" threaded shaft and a knife assembly:- I [mounted immediately behind theblade,'-*the" knife 'assein bly having a? series of spaced horizorita1 blads projecting :into "the path "of the, advancing poi 1 1 tato-for eifecting V'ariduscylindrical e ternth spiral'issuing froin th fir'st blades All of mere features have been described with greater detail in the two pending applications which are hereby particularly referred to.

The principal feature of the present invention is a peeling device including a'cutter head [2 5 and means for causing the same to, bear upon the surface of the advancing potato near the blade lcg'wi-tn :ree'dmr of retractingpmov'ement; Any suitablemeans may 'be selecte'd for this pur pose, and the drawing shows an arm 13 swinga ble on a post 14 mounted in the column l5, the arm having the cutter head mountedupon the; free end thereof. A second arm 16 extends fixedly from the base of the first-arm and 'at'an angle thereto, and the free-t ndtpf the.arm .-is connected to the base by meahs of a spring ll which tends to urge the cutter head upon the surface of the potato, as'rgshown.

The flutter e d 2 o r ses :in it principal. features a gauge member llbprojeeting-from the; 20 free endeof the arm l 3 toward the-130mm,; subee a l in th ho zon al; a e ctr-the .51 tering, .pin, \a peeling blade amounted unde neath the gauge member, and a pilot me n ber iilc nte abo th blad x, a i lhe s e membe w ich is fixedt e arm and may be formed integral therewith; 5;ass w isa n-theio mef a fl tt r; r ctangular; 1 in -cro s:sect1 endn i s free and s aped to preseh a downwa dly: c rved-rese adapted to be r ride o theur ace of the evolvin a d d ancinapotato- Iris-ur ed upon the sure face of thepotato by the ;,-spring 1 1,: butis afnee 1 to retract; ingresponse to changes in the contour of-the rotate. it 'is:.:re at ve1y-na rowaan i- Q -ed e curved. hor zo tally-.3 5 YWHeflSfiVGI- la so -(as to e ab e or-f llow e ti e y sm l p ons i QhILaS n sese te f a-t e yes f the s.- o tQ--,- A l i p The blade gl 9.:and the pilotr-member'lll aregsin.. 40 their body portions; of; substantially the same shape as the gauge member and =theynare Supef pqrtedwith respect-to ,the 'latter by two pairs *of links 2| mounted upon opposite -side':etlgeszot the:asfiembly,thelinkstrunningparallel 5130 one another and =being=jpivoted toi the .fixed' gauge: member and theriblade and the pilot rmemberrins; themannershownm i y The blade =1 9 has 3'8. cutting-edge Hcatztheefree: end thereof and is normally mounted withizrespfifit torlhfi augelsoethatsits cuttingzczdgm'pno- .l Q filifihtiy heyendwther nose; or. the igangee' ember just ll ffidi nbi-ltoiatemoye,aothintslicer" if peeling; from the {potato zit :-is:iheld ,m.:this;.p

Q 1 'LL. In. 51h] i The. sm t nes dse ,2 as zrsubstantiaiiyx vertieale t may lbs-s i htl ehc ned' ocutvimeethemoai e -V rhhole -gts termed emmesi elvrb'ehmew heztutt ae sdeeeto al ow themeelin to escape eret meehiu.- a

Th n ot member e ur e -vendsof: he u its 8;. s i es rlt 'he as shared fillbsfiantia-liysthe: SWQQYQS he nose: of heesaueembumitsmo e, alw e tractedsm. au e; -,-Its: xtrememferward i'llositionrz is. 0115370 le by thefadinstahle tep llfiibearing'idnethesi ear-prem se athe'yh adeeepdn i eappare tethat w en thfi fiwlhis shortcut:dzv herz bladeiissallomedz", xi 3 1 t' by e fl'lfinfikmfiunfi'nfx theitadiushmentt: hi e the pilot mgmbereisial-lcwedcto advanceithe z-m.

forward with respect to the gauge member and v thus allows the blade to reach a section of the 5, the ,piston toi'a'dvancesin the 81013.

same distance under the influence of the spring 24.

The pilot member is, however, free to retract from the position shown until stopped by an adjustable stop 21, which is adjusted to allow considerable rearward travel. The pilot member is m de e act b the n te sel when acted gbyFa sfee tionlof the: potato'lprelseii ting an overhana 'as indicated"bythe numeral'28, and when thus forced backward, it urges the blade potatoimmediately behind the overhang, which would otherwise be missed by the blade.

I lnop eration the pilot member 20 is normally inactive. The gauge 21 rides on the surface of the spira-lly advancing potato and the cutting edge of the blade l9 re ihoves a narrow strip of peelingrfromlthereurtace of the potato; the maelingygescaping; throng-hthe hole--25. The.--=entirez cutter head is urgedfupon the surface of "212118.- potato Jbyi .athe spring- .I .l; and is: free :to, retract. in:

. response to changes inzthe contour .ofthepotatoc F'Ihe gauge; and ;the :blade are lsufliciently. nau-.,-- row to enter lsmallestsdepressions apttoibe-ifoundi imai-large potato forewhichthe machine particularly adaptedg, so as to, remove :the eye snw,ithg thenpeeling 4 g ,1;

A particular problem arises where thy-potato: has a fiatyside eor is kidneyzsha-pedwincross-Selfition or: presents other overhangskin which :,case.; thesoverhangtiwould normally- ;cause the gauge. to.

retract; ;;'1hi=s, would fcause-ethe blade to'zmiss-the.

reachrintoithe undereut'andrto remove then-peels inggtherefromn 1 v tr, The cutter head illustrated in Figures 5 to? operates on substantially the same principle; eX-

. ceptgfor-thefaet that-thepilot member'operatesl the hlademhroughlelectricali means, and {for otherislig-ht modifications.

In;,thisI-,=form thev'cutter headxall isnmounted; with freedom of rectilinear movement :withzsnea spect to sthe revo1ving potato, transversely to; the axis ofrotation. Alrectangular elongated blocks 3,1 :is- --,mounted-xiona suitable base and held-sin: l place, byqend flanges-132.1: Thezblock is formed with a QYIiIldhiCZtl'bQlFE :33- and .a-longitudinal $101521 L 341 aabove thelbore-s iA--pi ston?35.:is2:slidablerin :ther; bore and has an elongatedkey :36 riding-"in'thear.

slot, the keyehavingm 'p'late ;31'l formedfintegral therewith so as to causexthe olate to ride. onltoym of .thezblock. Alspring :38 within the bore urges- .A secondiolatet E'Li'ssecured :upon the first p'la tee and carries :the cutter head's The "latter includes 11 aagaugeimemben All ,2 a iblade 441; and azpilotmeml-l ber1142= asrinrthefirstedescribedlform.: The gauge from the epl'ate'rnearirthe forwardendthereof.

The blade -l'l. is mountedupon the-forward end of a plunger 43 islidable'sslni three ispacetlasolenoids 44,2325 :and.-' H5v *mounte'don :Lthe :plate 39 between eadditinnalizuprightsdz'. The splunger generally 11 isimadezormon-ma'gneticmaterial; buti has three sections; 48 and? ht magnetic material dist manner that when the first solenoid is energized, the plunger is retracted to its extreme rearward position, which is the normal working position. This position is controlled by an adjustable stop 5! The plunger may be held against rotary motion by means of a forked member 43 secured upon the plunger and straddling the gauge 40.

When the third solenoid 46 is energized the plunger moves forward through a certain distance causing the cutting edge of the blade to make a deeper cut, and when the second solenoid 45 is energized, the plunger is further advanced for a still deeper cut. Magnetic plates 5| may be arranged in proper positions with respect to the solenoids to increase their efiiciency.

The solenoids are energized in their proper order by a suitable switch arrangement 52 which latter is actuated by the pilot member 42 mounted on a fixed pivot 53.

The switch arrangement is of more or less conventional form and comprises seven leaves marked 6| to 61 respectively and arranged in spaced and parallel relation, the free end of the leaf 65 projecting beyond the other leaves for operation by a roller 68 mounted upon the rear end of the pilot member 42. The leaves 61 and 64 also project a somewhat less distance beyond the remaining leaves and carry operatingstuds 68 and 69. The leaves 62, 64, 66 and 61 carry contact points marked a, b, c and d respectively.

A line wire l0, after passing through a resistance H, is connected to the two leaves 64 and 66, as shown. The two leaves 62 and 65 are interconnected by a wire l2, and the leaf 6! is connected, through wire 13, with the solenoid 44. The leaf 63 is connected, through wire 14, with the second solenoid 45, and the leaf BI is connected, through wire 15, with the third solenoid 46, the three solenoids being grounded as at 16.

In operation, the pilot member 42 will normally occupy the inclined position shown in Figure 5.

In this position the contacts b and 0 do not connect with the superimposed leaves. Contact a connects with leaf BI and the contact (1 connects leaves 66 and 61, closing a circuit through wire 10, the two leaves and wire 13 to the first solenoid 44. This holds the plunger 43 in the most retracted position.

As the pilot member 42 rides over a slight overhang, it is depressed and raises the free end of the leaf 66 to a slight extent, sufiicient to break contact at d, thus de-energizing solenoid 44, and to make contact 0 connect with the leaf 65. A current now flows from wire through leaf 66, contact 0, leaf 65, wire 12, leaf 62, contact a, leaf SI and wire to the third solenoid 46, causing the plunger 43 to move forward through an intermediate distance for making a deeper out.

When the pilot 42 rides over a more pronounced overhang, it is depressed still further and the rear end of the pilot raises the free end of leaf 66 sufficiently far to connect contact 0 with leaf 65 and contact I) with leaf 63 (by means of actuating stud 59), while disconnecting contact a. Current now flows from wire 10 through leaf 64, contact b, leaf 63 and wire 14 to the second solenoid 45 which causes plunger 43 to advance still further for a deeper cut.

Thus the cutting blade is advanced for peeling undercuts in the manner as in the first-described I claim:

1. In a potato peeler, a supporting block, a piston slidable therein rectilinearly and having a frame supported thereby, a gauge member supported by the frame and having a nose adapted for riding upon the side of a revolving potato, spring means active on the piston for urging the gauge member upon the potato, a plurality of solenoids mounted in the frame in axial alinement with each other and having a plunger therein, the plunger having a cutting blade immediately below the gauge member for peeling the potato and having magnetic sections in cooperative relation with the solenoids, one magnetic section being arranged with respect to its solenoid to pull the plunger backward when the solenoid is energized, and another section beingarranged with respect to its solenoid to pull the plunger forward when the solenoid is energized, an adjustable stop member bearing on the rear end of the plunger for limiting its rearward movement to insure a minimum cut for the cutting blade, a pilot member pivoted in the frame and positioned to bear on the potato in advance of the gauge member, an electric circuit for the solenoids including a switch operable by the pilot member for selectively rendering the solenoids active in response to changes in the contour of the potato, and means for supporting a potato adjacent the cutting blade, gauge and pilot member and for moving the potato relative thereto to suecessively engage the pilot member, gauge and cutting blade.

2. In a potato peeler, a frame having a gauge member projecting therefrom, means for movably mounting the frame to cause the gauge member to ride upon the side of a revolving potato, spring means active on the frame for urging the gauge member upon the potato, a plurality of solenoids mounted in the frame in axial alinement with each other and having a plunger therein, the

plunger having a cutting blade immediately below the gauge member for peeling the potato and having magnetic sections in cooperative relation with the solenoids, one magnetic section being arranged with respect to its solenoid to pull the plunger backward when the solenoid is energized, and another section being arranged with respect to its solenoid to pull the plunger forward when the solenoid is energized, an adjustable stop member bearing on the rear end of the plunger for limitingits rearward movement to insure a minimum cut for the cutting blade, a pilot member pivoted in the frame and positioned to bear on the potato in advance of the gauge member, an electric circuit for the solenoids including a switch operable by the pilot member for selectively rendering the solenoids active in response to changes in the contour of the potato, and means for supporting a potato adjacentthe cutting blade, gauge and pilot member and for moving the potato relative thereto to successively engage the pilot member, gauge and cutting blade.

THOMAS F. MASON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 319,905 Hudson June 9, 1885 633,932 Williamson Sept.- 26, 1899 943,249 Jahansan Dec. 14, 1909 2,069,654 J eppsson Feb. 2, 1937 2,156,645 Waller May 2, 1939 

